As June 3rd approaches, we feel the excitement in the air? After two long years, the World Tour will begin. The fans are starting to assemble in Verona to welcome the guys! This has been going on since last week but, it will intensify as June 3rd draws near.
On June 5th, 2021, Ignazio’s message to the press was, “Finally, June 5th! You don’t know how long we waited for this day! How many days to think, to study, to develop ideas! How many days to hope it would come! Today is an important day for the entire music industry. We start singing in front of an audience!” Yes, they were the first to do a live concert in front of an audience in the ancient Arena of Verona.
You could hear the excitement in Ignazio’s voice! His words sent chills up and down my spine. His words said it loud and clear. We made it! Live is back! The event as you well remember was the “Tribute to Ennio Morricone.”
Can you imagine how the guys are feeling right now? They are so ready to go out and present their new World Tour, Il Volo Sings Morricone and more….
While we’re waiting for them to arrive at Verona, let’s take a look back at the Tribute to Ennio Morricone, where we witnessed An Amazing Transformation in their production. Not to mention the fact that it was their first Live Concert on TV with Rai 1. This will give us a hint about what to expect in their World Tour which begins on June 3rd.
Let’s go to the stage!
Besides the superb performance, did you notice the interesting scenery? So different from what we are used to in an Il Volo concert. Spectacular scenery! And the videos that go along with each song. Such precision! Just amazing! Everything so well thought out. Down to the last detail!
The guys kept the set list a secret. They wanted to surprise all of us. Piero said, “As for the set list we like to keep it a secret. We will try to satisfy every need of our audience by always keeping the master at the center.” And that they did!
Remembering Morricone’s music and having our guys sing it is by far one of the most incredible things that can happen for us. An event that will never be repeated by anyone! Spectacular!
Piero went on to say, “The Concert will anticipate the album that will be released later.” ~ “Il Volo Sings Morricone”
While they were dealing with the pandemic, they were being very productive. Gianluca said, “We dealt with the pandemic productively, we tried not to give up. Young people must not give up the strength to believe in their dreams and pursue their goals.”
He also went on to thank the Morricone family for allowing them to sing an unreleased song, written by Andrea Morricone, “I Colori dell’amore.” A very beautiful song!
Piero reminds us that, “this is the first time we have performed a Concert live on TV.”
Well guys you did an amazing job!
“We really appreciate the tribute to Ennio Morricone because as Ignazio reminded us ‘it is the only (concert) date scheduled in 2021.’”
I must say, the Morricone project kept them very busy. They had to select and study songs from the master’s repertoire. That was no easy task.
So how do you go about selecting the songs and fitting them to your voice. It’s very difficult! Let me remind you about something Ignazio said about recording a song. Ignazio explains, “…. a take is the recording of the single phrase that each of us sings when we record a song. We continue to redo it until we get the best version.”
Can you imagine going through all of Morricone’s songs and deciding which ones to choose? Remember a song that may be good for a baritone may not be good for a tenor. So, what do you do? You redo the arrangements to fit your voice. How? You take the song apart and then decide which part is able to accommodate a tenor or baritone. Not an easy task! Think about some of the concerts where the guys have sung a song as a group (the three) and then decided it should be a duet. Why? Because it is more suitable to two voices perhaps baritone and tenor or tenor and spinto tenor. You need to see how it fits your voice and how it relates. In the end it’s all about the delivery. Once you’ve taken the song apart, you must put it back together again. Shall I say it again, not an easy task! It takes months to rearrange this many songs and believe me these guys worked very hard for long hours and long periods of time, many, many months, to get these songs where they needed to be. Great songs, arranged to great voices!
Let me give you an example of what I’m talking about. This is the song “Se Telefonando.” It is a song that was performed by a famous Italian singer, Mina. It was released in May 1966. I want you to listen to Mina sing the song and then listen to Il Volo sing it. You will note that the words did not change. Just the arrangement changed to fit the voices of our guys.
Now the Guys!
So now you can understand what I mean by taking a song and arranging it to fit another voice. Without changing the words look at how the song has changed. The delivery is spectacular! Just magnificent!
The studio work was done. The songs were in the bag, and everything was in place. It was time for the guys to restart the live concerts! In essence, symbolically, restart the entire sector.
As to Rai 1, Claudio Fasulo explained, “For our flagship network it is an honor to host this date. Rai 1 wants to remember Morricone who has done so much for our culture through the many arts. I wanted three young people to do it that I admire so much. They were born into a talent, but they also teach us that talent is sometimes meritocratic.”
“Il Volo has the artistic and behavioral characteristics of Rai 1. It is no coincidence that in our schedules of great music, the trio is always present. Dedicating an evening to Ennio Morricone was a duty for us.”
Gianluca said: “For us it is a great journey, a wonderful adventure. A year after Morricone’s death we want to remember the master in the best way. We were born as child prodigies and after 12 years of career we can say that this project makes us proud and makes us feel more mature”.
Piero said, “At last, we sing. It’s been a tough year and there’s a desire to get on stage and bring all the workers in the show with us. I want to point out that it will not be the orchestra that will accompany us, but we will sing together.” Alluding to the long-awaited return to live.
Ignazio said, “Let’s go back to singing in one of the largest outdoor theaters in the world, finally safe. The ancient sayings are always the truest, hope is the last to die.”
In an interview given to the magazine Mio, Piero, allowed himself to go to a painful confession about the very hard period from which we come and, which now seems, fortunately, to give us a moment of respite. “Finally, we sing, after a year and a half. We could not take it anymore! Ours is a dream job. We are incurable dreamers. Every wish is finally coming to fruition. On June 5th we will give a message of hope, there is a great desire to get on that stage.”
And that is exactly what they did!
So, let’s turn to the master!
You can ask anyone if they know who Ennio Morricone is, many people will say no. But, if you ask them if they know the theme song from “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.” They’ll say of course I know it. Everyone knows Morricone’s music! They may not know his name but, they certainly know his music.
So where did our guys begin the concert? They began with the most famous of Morricone’s songs from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly – “The Ecstasy of Gold.” Smart! This song set the mood for the concert. What they did with this song and, the other songs, is amazing!
Let’s talk about some of the music. Let’s start by asking the question, “What made Morricone’s music different? Why was it so popular? Why was he the most sought-after composer in the last 40 years? The answer is his arrangements and his style. Unlike anyone else in his time Morricone composed and wrote songs that reflected nature and reflected everyday life! In his music we hear the wind and the rain, the howls and the silence! Again, I will go back to songs like “Se Telefonando,” where we hear three notes in this song that represent the siren of a police car. He wrote about reality. How he heard it, is how he wrote it. He didn’t describe the event he used the event! When you write a theme song or compose a score for a film, it has to draw you in. It has to tell the story before you witness it.
Now I’m going to step out of the concert for a moment but stick with Morricone because I need to pay a compliment to Ignazio.
As you recall, the first time we heard the song “Makari” which Ignazio composed and wrote, was during a commercial break at Sanremo 2021. When I heard the song, I felt like there was something very familiar about it. Last night after I wrote about three quarters of this article, I was tired, so I went to bed. And, as it often happens with me, I woke up in the middle of the night and thought about something I want to say in my story. This is what came to me. I finally figured out what was so familiar about “Makari.” Ignazio wrote in the style of Morricone. Think about it. What is Ignazio doing for us in this theme song? He is painting a picture! Remember I said, it has to draw you in. It has to tell the story before you witness it.
Ignazio’s song invites us to take a better look at this other land in the south (Sicily). It speaks of “a land of sages and a land of fools, made from devils and saints.” It invites you to live a new reality through his eyes. This is exactly what Morricone does in his songs.
In a Morricone song you hear life! In Ignazio’s song you hear the sounds of Sicily. It is the “silence” of the land that screams for you to open your eyes and look around at the wonder of the landscape, of Makari, and the traditions of the land that go deep into your soul?
There is something very mysterious in the song!
Ignazio’s song sings about approaching Makari and, the colors of the island come to life. The houses, the people, it’s all there. It comes to life before you approach the shore! And that’s what I was feeling when I heard the song! It’s written very much like a Morricone song.
Ignazio, I said you are a great composer and, some day you will compose a great opera. This is the proof. You learned from the great masters about expression and intensity in music! I can honestly say, you are your own master, and you began your journey at the front door! Music is in your soul! Just amazing!
Now, let’s get back to the concert!
I’m not going to write in any detail about the songs. There were a few other articles which were written for Flight Crew which discussed the songs individually. I am merely going to name the new songs and where necessary, give you some details on how they came about.
“Your Love” from Once Upon a Time in the West, is a song we all are familiar with. It is the song that the guys sang at Sanremo 2021. As Il Volo fans, this song will be with us forever. There are tender moments attached to it. It is an absolutely magnificent song. No one else could sing it like our guys. I know it touches my heart not just because of the circumstances but because of the emotion and passion the guys have when they sing this song. It will always be a signature song for them and for us!
So, what did they need in this production, a good pop song, set to music by Morricone, “Se Telefonando.” As I already mentioned, “Se Telefonando” is a song that was performed by a famous Italian singer, Mina. The music was composed, orchestrated and conducted by Ennio Morricone to Italian lyrics by Ghigo De Chiara and Maurizio Costanzo. The song was written for an episode of the Aria condizionata a Sunday morning television program. The main theme of the song was composed around just three notes, taken from the siren of a police car in Marseilles.
At this point in the show, the guys did their solos. Where do I begin to talk about the solos?
As I said, I am not writing about the individual songs, but I will say that each of the guys’ solos were phenomenal.
Gianluca’s “Your Song,” Ignazio’s “Listen” and Piero’s “No Puede Ser” were exceptional experiences in a sea of amazing voices.
When I originally wrote about this concert, I did not include the songs but for this story I will. Let’s start with Gianluca…
What I will comment on is little Julian. Many critics praised him and so do I! See guys, this is how you were at 8 years old. Blowing everyone’s mind!
And of course Piero singing “No puede ser” is just so amazing!
Let’s go back to the theme song of “Nuovo Cinema Paradiso” from the film of the same name. At the end of the song there is a small exchange between our guys and Salvatore Cascio, the child, now adult, of Nuovo Cinema Paradiso.
This was followed by Raphael Gualazzi on the piano with Nina Zillio and our guys performing the beautiful theme song from the film of the same name, “Metti, una Sera a Cena.” Nina Zillio is always so charming, and the guys enjoy performing with her.
Next came “Here’s to You”, the theme from Sacco and Vanzetti. This was preceded by a reading of the story of the two unfortunate Italian immigrants, read by Giallini. For those of you who don’t know the story of Sacco and Vanzetti here is a brief summary:
Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were Italian immigrants, anarchists, who were controversially convicted of murdering a guard and a paymaster during the April 15, 1920, armed robbery of the Slater and Morrill Shoe Company in Braintree, Massachusetts.
A series of appeals followed, funded largely by the private Sacco and Vanzetti Defense Committee. As details of the trial and the men’s suspected innocence became known, Sacco and Vanzetti became the center of one of the largest causes célèbres in modern history.
Responding to a massive influx of telegrams urging their pardon, Massachusetts governor Alvan T. Fuller appointed a three-man commission to investigate the case. After weeks of secret deliberation, the commission upheld the verdict. Sacco and Vanzetti were executed in the electric chair just after midnight on August 23, 1927.
And so, we come to the end of the concert and the dedication of “Conradiana” to Vito Boschetto, Ignazio’s dad. “Conradiana” is a beautiful song written by Andrea Bocelli and Ennio Morricone. Very touching, very emotional and it certainly touched the heart of Ignazio and his brothers Piero and Gianluca, and I know it also touched our hearts.
In closing today let me say that the guys showed us their talent and their love in this concert. And they really dedicated it to us. When they were singing their song, to Sacco and Vanzetti, they were saying to us, their fans, “Here’s to You.”
I wrote about the staging of this concert so you will have an idea of what to expect in the upcoming World Tour. There will be An Amazing Transformation but they will not depart from their Bel Canto. They will add to what is great and make it greater!
See you in Verona on June 3rd, 2022, for the start of the World Tour ~ Il Volo Sings Morricone and more….
Visit http://www.ilvolomusic.com for a full list of concerts around the world. Find one near you and buy a ticket! It will be the best night of your life!
Join me next week as I go back Through the Fields of My Mind and open the door to a new adventure!
If you would like to share a story with me, please email: susan.flightcrew@yahoo.com
To read more Il Volo stories visit us at www.ilvoloflightcrw.com
After the June 5th concert in the Verona Arena, there were many new things.
But first of all, I want to start with a photo of the concert I promised you, to show you where the families of the boys were during the evening.
(Please click on the photo to view a larger version.)
On June 23, Gianluca Ginoble went to visit the Vatican museums. Beautiful museums, full of works of art that are envied all over the world.
Gianluca was accompanied by two young women. One of them, Nicole, was considered Gian’s new “girlfriend”, but after this episode, there was no more gossip about the couple. In the photo above, Nicole is the girl in the light floral dress.
Gianluca, inspired by the environments, also sang some verses of the Ave Maria. It was wonderful to hear
Gianluca’s voice resound in the beautiful Vatican rooms.
Piero’s birthday was on June 24th. Surely you have all seen the numerous and beautiful photos, also because the birthday party lasted two days.
On the evening of June 23, to arrive at midnight, there was a nice “party in white”, where all the guests were dressed in white. But how beautiful were Piero and Gianluca in white?
Among the numerous guests, including Torpedine and Barbara.
Great justified absentee, Ignazio, who was in Brazil, seems to be in the company of a damsel.
Here, we say, “If they are roses, they will bloom”. 😉
There was a lot of fun, the party took place in Sicily.
Look what a nice gift Gianluca gave to Piero !!
The three hands crossed, really beautiful and meaningful.
The party continued throughout the 26th day together with friends and family.
And then also in Taormina!!
…………. and could not miss Bambar and Saretto, with its excellent granitas!!
June 30th, Ignazio was at a cousin’s wedding.
Piero also went to a wedding, but I think it’s wedding of his a friend.
On July 5, however, a little friend of ours we met during the concert dedicated to Morricone: Julian Iorio, was interviewed for the broadcast DEDICATED on Rai 1 and Ignazio Boschetto intervened during the interview.
IGNAZIO = Julian, how are you?
Meanwhile, I wanted to say thank you for keeping me company on the Arena stage, it was great to share the stage with you, you were appreciated by everyone, ah, what have you done !!
I send you a hug, a greeting and we hope to see you soon, there will be no lack of opportunity. Bye!
INTERVIEWER = Thanks to Ignazio Boschetto from IL Volo!!
JULIAN = Hi Ignazio!!
INTERVIEWER = He is your colleague.
Listen but what do you feel when you sing and play with these great musicians?
What do you feel?
JULIAN = Pleasure, much pleasure, because Ignazio, by now, we have known each other for a long time and we love each other, so I feel safe with him.❤
INTERVIEWER = Tell us something, but are you a little afraid, before performing, or are you really calm?
JULIAN = So, I was excited, but I knew that I had mum and dad behind the scenes, and Ignazio by my side, and the whole orchestra was behind me picking me up. (he means that the orchestra was supporting him)😁❤
INTERVIEWER = Let’s review that moment together now, come on.
(here begins a short video of the fantastic performance of Ignazio and Julian)
How wonderful, this was a concert at the Verona Arena, dedicated to the great maestro Ennio Morricone.
July 5: concert in Croatia.
July 6: concert in Bulgaria.
July 8: concert in Romania
July 8, also, Il Volo announced the definitive cancellation of the remaining Italian concerts (including Taormina unfortunately) and the new dates for 2022. Tickets already purchased remain valid.
Hello everyone!
Accordingly to the current regulations, today we announce that the entire “10 Years – Live” tour scheduled for 2021 will be postponed to 2022.
We would like to remind you that tickets already sold will be valid for the new dates.
Please find below the new dates: 11th of June 2022 at “Teatro Antico” in Taormina (making up for 4th of September 2021 at “Teatro Antico” in Taormina)
12th of June 2022 at “Teatro Antico” in Taormina (making up for 5th of September 2021 at “Teatro Antico” in Taormina)
3rd of October 2022 at “Mediolanum Forum” in Assago, Milano (making up for 23rd of October 2021 at “Mediolanum Forum” in Assago, Milano)
7th of October 2022 at “Palazzo dello Sport” in Rome (making up for 20th of October 2021 at “Palazzo dello Sport” in Rome”)
10th of October 2022 at “Pala Alpitour” in Turin (making up for 16th of October 2021 at “Pala Alpitour” in Turin)
See you soon!❤️
On July 9, Il Volo released a video where they perform Grande Amore, with Brazilian singer Paula Fernandez.
”Grande Amore” video with the talented @paulafernandes has just been released and we hope you enjoy it! Watch it on YouTube!
Do you remember when I wrote you that the boys were in Rome at Villa Borghese for the shooting of a video? They were used in this video.
Did you like this performance paired with Paula? Feel free to tell me your opinion.
But on July 9, this short video was also released, from the Facebook page of the “Frasassi Caves”, with the comment:
Il Volo at the Frasassi caves, a perfect combination of Nature, Style and Quality! Coming Soon.
On July 18, the Facebook page of the Frasassi Caves published this second short video.
(Click on the logo below to view the video.)
What can I say, many events have filled the days of our guys.
Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca are back in a great way, they don’t have a moment’s break, and the three concerts in East Europe were great. Very good because as fans, we suffer when we don’t see or hear them for a long time.
I must say that the latest announcement, the one relating to the Frasassi Caves, gives me the chills, I just want to see what they will do in that beautiful context, it will be fantastic.
Do you feel that? The excitement in the air! It’s been going on since last week but, it intensified on the morning of June 5th with Ignazio’s message. “Finally, June 5th! You don’t know how long we waited for this day! How many days to think, to study, to develop ideas! How many days to hope it would come! Today is an important day for the entire music industry. We start singing in front of an audience!”
You can hear the excitement in his voice! His words sent chills up and down my spine. His words say it’s over! We made it! Live is back!
Let’s go to the stage!
Did you notice the interesting scenery? So different from what we are used to in an Il Volo concert. Spectacular scenery! And the videos that go along with each song. Such precision! Just amazing! Everything so well thought out. Down to the last detail!
The guys kept the set list a secret. They wanted to surprise all of us. Piero said, “As for the set list we like to keep it a secret. We will try to satisfy every need of our audience by always keeping the master at the center.” And that they did!
Remembering Morricone’s music and having our guys sing it is by far one of the most incredible things that can happen for us. An event that will never be repeated by anyone! Spectacular!
Piero went on to say, “The Concert will anticipate the album that will be released later.” We anxiously await the release!
While they were dealing with the pandemic, they were being very productive. Gianluca said, “We dealt with the pandemic productively, we tried not to give up. Young people must not give up the strength to believe in their dreams and pursue their goals.” He also went on to thank the Morricone family for allowing them to sing an unreleased song, written by Andrea Morricone, “I Colori dell’amore.” A very beautiful song!
Piero was excited to say that: “This is the first time we have performed live TV.” Well guys you did an amazing job!”
We really appreciate the tribute to Ennio Morricone because as Ignazio reminded us “it is the only (concert) date scheduled in 2021.”
I must say, the Morricone project kept them very busy. They had to select and study songs from the master’s repertoire. That was no easy task.
So how do you go about selecting the songs and fitting them to your voice. It’s very difficult! Let me remind you about something Ignazio said about recording a song. Ignazio explains, “….a take is the recording of the single phrase that each of us sings when we record a song. We continue to redo it until we get the best version.”
Can you imagine going through all of Morricone’s songs and deciding which ones to choose? Remember a song that may be good for a baritone may not be good for a tenor. So, what do you do? You redo the arrangements to fit your voice. How? You take the song apart and then decide which part is able to accommodate a tenor or baritone. Not an easy task! Think about some of the concerts where the guys have sung a song as a group (the three) and then decided it should be a duet. Why? Because it is more suitable to two voices perhaps baritone and tenor or tenor and spinto tenor. You need to see how it fits your voice and how it relates. In the end it’s all about the delivery. Once you’ve taken the song apart, you must put it back together again. Shall I say it again, not an easy task! It takes months to rearrange this many songs and believe me these guys worked very hard for long hours and long periods of time, many, many months, to get these songs where they needed to be. Great songs, arranged to great voices!
Let me give you an example of what I’m talking about. These are the words to the song “Se Telefonando.” It is a song that was performed by a famous Italian singer, Mina. It was released in May 1966. I want you to listen to Mina sing the song and then listen to Il Volo sing it. You will note that the words did not change. Just the arrangement changed to fit the voices of our guys.
Lo stupore della notte Spalancata sul mar Ci sorprese che eravamo sconosciuti Io e te. Poi nel buio le tue mani D’improvviso sulle mie, È cresciuto troppo in fretta Questo nostro amor. Se telefonando Io potessi dirti addio Ti chiamerei. Se io rivedendoti Fossi certa che non soffri Ti rivedrei. Se guardandoti negli occhi Sapessi dirti basta Ti guarderei. Ma non so spiegarti Che il nostro amore appena nato È già finito. Se telefonando Io volessi dirti addio Ti chiamerei. Se io rivedendoti Fossi certa che non soffri Ti rivedrei. Se guardandoti negli occhi Sapessi dirti basta Ti guarderei. Ma non so spiegarti Che il nostro amore appena nato È già finito
So now you can understand what I mean by taking a song and arranging it to fit another voice. Without changing the words look at how the song has changed. The delivery is spectacular! Just magnificent!
The studio work is done. The songs are in the bag and everything in place. It’s time for the guys to restart the live concerts! In essence, symbolically, restart the entire sector.
As to Rai 1, Claudio Fasulo explained, “For our flagship network it is an honor to host this date. Rai 1 wants to remember Morricone who has done so much for our culture through the many arts. I wanted three young people to do it that I admire so much. They were born into a talent, but they also teach us that talent is sometimes meritocratic.”
“Il Volo has the artistic and behavioral characteristics of Rai 1. It is no coincidence that in our schedules of great music, the trio is always present. Dedicating an evening to Ennio Morricone was a duty for us.”
Gianluca says: “For us it is a great journey, a wonderful adventure. A year after his death we want to remember the master in the best way. We were born as child prodigies and after 12 years of career we can say that this project makes us proud and makes us feel more mature”.
Piero says, “At last, we sing. It’s been a tough year and there’s a desire to get on stage and bring all the workers in the show with us. I want to point out that it will not be the orchestra that will accompany us, but we will sing together.” Alluding to the long-awaited return to live, Ignazio said, “Let’s go back to singing in one of the largest outdoor theaters in the world, finally safe. The ancient sayings are always the truest, hope is the last to die.”
In an interview given to the magazine Mio, Piero, allowed himself to go to a painful confession about the very hard period from which we come and, which now seems, fortunately, to give us a moment of respite. “Finally, we sing, after a year and a half we could not take it anymore! Ours is a dream job. We are incurable dreamers. Every wish is finally coming to fruition. On June 5th we will give a message of hope, there is a great desire to get on that stage.”
And that is exactly what they did!
So, let’s turn to the master!
You can ask anyone if they know who Ennio Morricone is, many people will say no. But, if you ask them if they know the theme song from “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.” They’ll say of course I know it. Everyone knows Morricone’s music! They may not know his name but, they certainly know his music.
So where did our guys begin the concert? They began with the most famous of Morricone’s songs from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly – “The Ecstasy of Gold.” Smart! This song set the mood for the concert. What they did with this song and, the other songs, is amazing!
Let’s talk about some of the music. Let’s start by asking the question, “What made Morricone’s music different? Why was it so popular? Why was he the most sought after composer in the last 40 years? The answer is his arrangements and his style. Unlike anyone else in his time Morricone composed and wrote songs that reflected nature and reflected everyday life! In his music we hear the wind and the rain, the howls and the silence! Again, I will go back to songs like “Se Telefonando,” where we hear three notes in this song that represent the siren of a police car. He wrote about reality. How he heard it, is how he wrote. He didn’t describe the event he used the event! When you write a theme song or compose a score for a film, it has to draw you in. It has to tell the story before you witness it.
Now I’m going to step out of the concert for a moment but stick with Morricone because I need to pay a compliment to Ignazio.
As you recall, the first time we heard the song “Makari” which Ignazio composed and wrote, was during Sanremo 2021. When I heard the song, I felt like there was something very familiar about it. Last night after I wrote about three quarters of this article, I was tired so I went to bed. And, as it often happens with me, I wake up in the middle of the night and think about something I want to say in my story. This is what came to me. I finally figured out what was so familiar about “Makari.” Ignazio wrote in the style of Morricone. Think about it. What is Ignazio doing for us in this theme song? He is painting a picture for us! Remember I said, it has to draw you in. It has to tell the story before you witness it.
Ignazio’s song invites us to take a better look at this other land in the south (Sicily). It speaks of “a land of sages and a land of fools, made from devils and saints.” It invites you to live a new reality through his eyes. This is exactly what Morricone does in his songs.
In a Morricone song you hear life! In Ignazio’s song you hear the sounds of Sicily. It is the “silence” of the land that screams for you to open your eyes and look around at the wonder of the landscape, of Makari, and the traditions of the land that go deep into your soul?
There is something very mysterious in the song, Makari. Very much like Morricone’s “The Ecstasy of Gold” from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
Ignazio’s song sings about approaching Makari and, the colors of the island come to life. The houses, the people, it’s all there. It comes to life before you approach the shore! It’s written very much like a Morricone song. And that’s what I was feeling when I heard the song!
Ignazio, I said you are a great composer and, some day you will compose a great opera. This is the proof. You learned from the master! Imitation is the greatest compliment you can give anyone. You are your own master but, we have to begin somewhere and where you began was at the front door! Amazing!
Now, let’s get back to the concert!
I’m not going to write in any detail about the songs. There are a few other articles which will be written for Flight Crew this week which will discuss the songs individually. I am merely going to name the new songs and where necessary, give you some details on how they came about.
“Your Love” from Once Upon a Time in the West, is a song we all are familiar with. It is the song that the guys sang at Sanremo 2021. As Il Volo fans, this song will be with us forever. There are tender moments attached to it. It is an absolutely magnificent song. No one else could sing it like our guys. I know it touches my heart not just because of the circumstances but because of the emotion and passion the guys have when they sing this song. It will always be a signature song for them and for us!
So, what did they need in this production, a good pop song, set to music by Morricone, “Se Telefonando.” As I already mentioned, “Se Telefonando” is a song that was performed by a famous Italian singer, Mina. The music was composed, orchestrated and conducted by Ennio Morricone to Italian lyrics by Ghigo De Chiara and Maurizio Costanzo. The song was written for an episode of the Aria condizionata a Sunday morning television program. The main theme of the song was composed around just three notes, taken from the siren of a police car in Marseilles.
At this point, the guys did their solos. Where do I begin to talk about the solos?
As I said, I am not writing about the individual songs, but I will say that each of the guys’ solos were phenomenal. Gianluca’s “Your Song,” Ignazio’s “Listen” and Piero’s “No Puede Ser” were exceptional experiences in a sea of amazing voices.
What I will comment on is little Julian. Many critics praised him and so do I! See guys, this is how you were at 8 years old. Blowing everyone’s mind. Ignazio, if you didn’t already sign him, you need to do it before he gets away!
Riccardo Cocciante the guest of Il Volo sang “Quando finisce un amore,” an Ennio Morricone song which he first recorded in his Riccardo SOUL 1974 album.
We go back to the theme song of “Nuovo Cinema Paradiso” from the film of the same name. At the end of the song there is a small exchange between our guys and Salvatore Cascio, the child, now adult, of Nuovo Cinema Paradiso.
Raphael Gualazzi on the piano and Nina Zilli, together with Il Volo perform the beautiful theme song from the film of the same name, “Metti, una Sera a Cena.”
Next came “Here’s to You”, the theme from Sacco and Vanzetti. This was preceded by a reading of the story of the two unfortunate Italian immigrants, read by Giallini. For those of you who don’t know the story of Sacco and Vanzetti here is a brief summary:
Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were Italian immigrants, anarchists, who were controversially convicted of murdering a guard and a paymaster during the April 15, 1920, armed robbery of the Slater and Morrill Shoe Company in Braintree, Massachusetts.
A series of appeals followed, funded largely by the private Sacco and Vanzetti Defense Committee. As details of the trial and the men’s suspected innocence became known, Sacco and Vanzetti became the center of one of the largest causes célèbres in modern history.
Responding to a massive influx of telegrams urging their pardon, Massachusetts governor Alvan T. Fuller appointed a three-man commission to investigate the case. After weeks of secret deliberation, the commission upheld the verdict. Sacco and Vanzetti were executed in the electric chair just after midnight on August 23, 1927.
And so, we come to the end of the concert and the dedication of “Conradiana” to Vito Boschetto, Ignazio’s dad. “Conradiana” is a beautiful song written by Andrea Bocelli and Ennio Morricone. Very touching, very emotional and it certainly touched the heart of Ignazio and his brothers Piero and Gianluca, and I know it also touched our hearts.
We were so busy waiting for this Tribute that it seems we have missed an important event. Italy won Eurovision. What does that mean for us? It means next year Italy will host Eurovision. Rai, I don’t want to tell you how to do your job but, I think I know three very handsome, very talented young men who would absolutely be the best possible hosts for the program. Are You listening? Great events should have great people hosting them.
In closing today let me say that the guys showed us their talent and their love in this concert. And they really dedicated it to us. When they were singing their song, to Sacco and Vanzetti, they were saying to us, their fans, “Here’s to You.”
But what I really need to say is “Here’s to You” for a phenomenal, unforgettable, Concert!
Join me next week as I go back Through the Fields of My Mind and open the door to a new adventure!
If you would like to share a story with me, please email: susan.flightcrew@yahoo.com
To read more Il Volo stories visit us at www.ilvoloflightcrw.com
I’m still stunned by all the beauty I saw last night.
A stratospheric concert, wonderful voices, rested and powerful, beautiful music, spectacular sets, all like a fairy tale.
It was not a “Magic Night”, it was a “Starry Night”, because Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca are three stars that shine with a wonderful light, and when they are combined the result is simply spectacular.
Three beautiful and elegant young men bewitched and delighted the whole audience.
In my ears I still have their beautiful voices and my eyes still see everything that last night was unique and unforgettable.
I tell you right away that they did not allow us to enter the Arena with the camera, so I could not take videos or beautiful photos, I could only use my mobile.
But RAI1 has re-taken everything (filmed it all) and who better than them? I hope you all can see it as it will be a truly rewarding experience.
Click the photo below to view the concert.
There were 23 beautiful songs, some already known because they are part of the repertoire of Il Volo and many new for us and one completely unpublished.
Now let’s go over with some nice fan videos (not done by me), and some of my comments.
The preview begins with a joke with Marco Giallini, where Ignazio jokes saying that his shoes are very bad and Giallini tells him that he took them out of wood !!
Click the photo below to view the Anteprima.
The start was truly overwhelming with “The Ecstasy of Gold – The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”. Wonder!! A spectacular start !!
THE ECSTASY OF GOLD. THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY
Then they sang a beautiful YOUR LOVE, from the film Once Upon a Time in the West.
and then, remembering Notte Magica of 2017, NESSUN DORMA.
At this point a beautiful Italian actress enters: Laura Chiatti, whom Piero and Gianluca call “muse” and whom Ignazio calls “picciotta” (in Sicilian: young girl)
So a good pop song, also set to music by Morricone: SE TELEFONANDO.
The show continues with the introduction of IL MONDO, halfway through the song a guest enters, a famous Italian singer-songwriter (he also wrote Notre Dame De Paris): Riccardo Cocciante.
Then he will sing one of his songs to music by Morricone: “When a Love Ends”.
It starts again with another music from the film, NUOVO CINEMA PARADISO, at the end of the song there will be a small exchange between our kids and Salvatore Cascio, the child, now adult, of Nuovo Cinema Paradiso.
Two other guests, Raphael Gualazzi on the piano and Nina Zilli, who together with Il Volo perform the beautiful song from the film METTI UNA SERA A CENA.
Something from the repertoire of our boys, but which we always listen to very willingly:
O SOLE MIO and GRANDE AMORE
Back to Morricone’s film music: SACCO E VANZETTI, preceded by a reading of the story of the two unfortunate Italian immigrants, read by Giallini.
While Giallini was reading the story, Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca went down the corridors among the audience, to sing from that position. Piero was in the central corridor, just that close to me. I want to describe what I saw and that made me extremely happy.
Piero was in the corridor, but further ahead of my seat (farther from the stage) and I had to turn around to see him, he was with his back to me. RAI was in front of Piero for the video shoot, but at that moment Piero was not filmed.
He was hot, he was sweating and an assistant came over to wipe his forehead and then walked away from him. At that moment two elderly people, who had perhaps gone to the bathroom, were returning to their seats, which were right next to where Piero was. The man was old, large, and walked laboriously with a cane, supported by his wife. It was clear that if the TV shooting started, they were right in the middle, so Piero, who was already ready, began to call the assistant in a low voice to tell him to solve the situation, but that assistant was far away and did not hear and therefore Piero, seeing that the man was having a hard time getting into his seat, he went to him, held his seat in place, and helped him to and enter his row.
Despite the live TV, Piero was kind and thoughtful to this person, I don’t know how many artists would have done the same. Very good Piero !!
After Sacco and Vanzetti, they sang E PIÙ TI PENSO from Once Upon a time in America.
We are at the moment of the three beautiful singles.
Gianluca begins who amazes us with a beautiful song by Elton John written 51 years ago: YOUR SONG.
Gianluca dedicates the song to his mother.
Piero continues with the beautiful NO PUEDE SER accompanied by the flutist Andrea Griminelli.
And so Ignazio concludes with a wonderful LISTEN performed in the company of Julian Iorio who is only 8 years old.
A little, sweet interview with Julian at the end of the song.
I = Julian, you have been very good, but how old are you?
J = Thanks. 8 and a half years.
I = And where are you from?
J = From Fregene (locality near Rome)
I = Are you passionate about music?
J = A lot.
I = Where do you go after the concert?
J = I don’t know.
I = Aren’t you going home?
J = Yes, I’m going home. Tomorrow I wake up, make the trip and go home.
I = But in how many hours?
J = When we arrived it took us 6 hours, and I don’t know to go back.
I = Sure, it depends on the traffic, (laughter) Thanks a lot !!
J = You’re welcome.
I = Julian Iorio
Let’s go back to film music and continue with the beautiful GABRIEL’S OBOE, taken from MISSION.
And now a song that is part of our boys NEL BLU DIPINTO DI BLU.
In the middle of the song, when the boys descended into the audience, Ignazio approached his mother and gave her a kiss on the forehead. ❤
At this moment Piero was close to me doing the high pitch, you can see me sitting next to Piero, wearing an electric blue jacket. I made the photo, Piero, Ignazio were really close.
Below, Il Volo performs UN AMORE COSÌ GRANDE and MY WAY.
A beautiful unpublished song follows, an absolute first, I like it very much and I really hope to hear it many times, written by Andrea Morricone, I COLORI DELL’AMORE:
We have reached the end of the concert. The song with which it all ends is taken from the opera La Traviata: LIBIAM DE LIETI CALICI.
And so the concert ends, but before leaving us the boys tell us that after the finale there will be a surprise.
In fact after the applause Il Volo returns and makes a beautiful and moving dedication.
It is a very touching moment, because Ignazio begins by dedicating the song to all those who in this long period have lost so many loved ones.
Piero goes on to say that this concert was dedicated to Vito Boschetto who they all miss a lot. After the announcement was made, you could see Gianluca and Piero biting at their lips trying to hold back their emotions for their dear friend, Ignazio. There are some very touching moments of support and hug to Ignazio by Piero and Gianluca. Really very moving.
Ignazio, Piero and Gianluca perform CONRADIANA a beautiful song written by Bocelli and Morricone.
Thunderous applause and standing ovations. The concert is over and the TV shoot is over. Piero, Gianluca and Ignazio greet us and leave the stage.
People don’t go away, everyone stands all ahead, everyone murmurs BIS (BIS means we still want a song) and so the boys come back and, just for us, audience, they perform THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY, taking off their jackets and saying goodbye for the last time. A short piece.
A memorable evening.
Perfect performances, formidable guys and full of affectionate gestures towards each other. Incredible.
Both live and home audiences poured out all the love for these young men.
It goes without saying that the concert in RAI had the highest ratings.
For now, the comments of the press are few (today is Sunday) but good.
I want to conclude with a beautiful comment by a well-known Italian singer Rita Pavone.
Yesterday I saw the concert of the Tribute to Ennio Morricone aside of IL VOLO. Well, folks, there’s none for anyone! (This expression means that they are the best and there is none better than them!) Those three guys are sensational, they’re great. They face lyrical and pop arias, two worlds light years away, with a totally different setting and register voice but managing to be just as credible as to leave the listener amazed.
The “Listen” by Ignazio Boschetto, with the contribution of the very talented Julian – it is really true that talents are born! An 8 year old boy who plays the sax like a new John Coltrane but with the look and grit of a Lisa Simpson -, he was a real punch in the stomach for all those, myself included, who would never have imagined how much soul there is in that voice. I knew instead of this vocal duplicity in Gianluca Ginoble, because I had already had the opportunity to listen to him some time ago in some pop songs, but his version of “Your Song” last night was so beautiful that if there had been Elton John in the room, he would be the first to stand up and applaud. The opera singer par excellence, on the other hand, remains Piero Barone, whose ease in taking the highest notes and the most difficult treble notes is for him like drinking a glass of water.
What to say ? That we just have to be proud of having similar talents who bear the name of Italy in the world. And whoever says the opposite either does not understand anything about music, or is in bad faith, or is envious.
I know that in this project, the choices were completely made by our three treasures. This shows their artistic maturity, as well as physical – they are young but with a lot of common sense and good taste !! But we already knew it!
I was there, it was unforgettable: Daniela❤❤❤
Here are some of my photos.
With Deborah Georgini Beaupre
Before the concert, during the connection with the TG
Torpedine
Credit to owners of all photos and videos.
Come in and share the love of life, friends and Il Volo!
